


Caged Yet Free

by ShatteredSwallowtail



Series: Taming Dragons [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23800300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShatteredSwallowtail/pseuds/ShatteredSwallowtail
Summary: Sequel to To Tame a Dragon. Takes place the morning after. Estinian still plans to leave and he hopes he can make Aymeric understand.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Estinien Wyrmblood
Series: Taming Dragons [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1733218
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33





	Caged Yet Free

It wasn’t the light of morning that drew him from sleep, though the shaft of light striking into his face certainly played a part. Instead, it was the sense of bereavement; the lack of an answering warmth from beside him that had Aymeric cracking open his eyes. Unsurprised - and at the same time almost heartbroken - to find himself alone in his bed. Memories filled his mind; of the last few hours before sleep claimed him… hours spent with Estinian, relearning each other in an entirely different way. It had taken far less coaxing than he might have expected to dislodge them from the surface of the desk into the far more comfortable bed. And far more coaxing than he would have liked to relax the dragoon enough to allow Aymeric to properly examine the new changes. Had he been more clear-headed he might not have pressed the issue, but when faced with parts of Estinian that were new… well, at least he had been indulged and his reward had been the faint almost-purr that the silver-haired man had let out as Aymeric’s fingers gently stroked night-skin. 

The wings had faded away not long afterwards, vanishing into a twinkling of the aether as though they had never been. Leaving smooth and unblemished skin that he had treated to the same gentle petting before curling up against Estinian and allowing himself to drift off to sleep. If ‘allow’ was a suitable moniker for the way exhaustion lobbed a metaphorical brick at his cranium. And now the empty bed, and the aching in his chest. He had thought… and perhaps that had been his folly in truth. Hubris to assume that an impromptu tryst would have changed Estinian’s mind. Regardless of how much...it had felt to be _more_ than merely a tryst. It had been…. In truth, he didn’t have the words for how it had felt. How complete and perfect and... _right_ it had been. As of finding a piece to fill a void that had somehow escaped knowledge. Aymeric squeezed his eyes shut tightly against the sudden unwelcome sting, only to jump at the clink of a plate on the side table.

“Tea.”

The simple word was all that Estinian managed to get out before he was nearly tackled. Stumbling as he was dragged onto the bed by the other man who buried a face in his stomach. Yet it only took a fleeting moment to understand the cause of so unexpected an action. Of course…. Aymeric had woken alone and believed he had left. Rolling red-sparked blue eyes, the dragoon gave a soft scoff as he reverently stroked fingers through dark tousaled curls. “Truly, did you think me so unkind as to leave without bidding you farewell? I believe I am somewhat offended, my lord.”

“Of course not, I just….” He inwardly chided himself for his own fear; crass and abrasive he could be - and often was - but Estinian was never cruel. Not in this way. And it was a disservice to have suspected it of him. Aymeric forced himself to relax his hold on Estinian, taking no small amount of pleasure in the fact that the taller man simply stayed put even when he had been released. “You still mean to leave, then….. To leave Ishgard.” To leave _me_. 

Silence was his answer, and it spoke volumes as Estinian finally pulled away to scoop up his discarded helm from the floor. He couldn’t tell his lord that aye… he _had_ intended to leave before the other awoke. Not to spare Aymeric, but to selfishly spare himself from the accusations he knew without looking were filling those blue eyes. To spare himself the burning urge to throw the world aside and return to that cocoon of warmth and desire they had wrapped themselves in so recently. Like moth to flame, soaking up that light until he burst into flames and gladly turned to dust. “I was unaware that my intentions had somehow been misinterpreted, my lord.” He couldn’t meet that gaze, had to keep from looking upon that face he had memorized, and in that vein he ground his teeth as he heard the rustle of blankets as Aymeric got up and approached. Ready for the argument, the careful verbal dance that they would engage in whereby his lover would try and convince him to stay without simply asking. Never asking, because to do so would be selfish in Aymeric’s eyes and Estinian himself was grateful for that. Despite his guilt over that same gratitude. 

Because if Aymeric just simply _asked_ him to stay…. He wasn’t sure if he could deny his lord.

He was not prepared for the arms that wound around his torso from behind. For the soft touch of lips to his nape or for the tight way the shorter man held him in silence. Estinian froze as he squeezed his eyes shut, letting his fingers slip from his helm as the concealing metal clattered to the stone floor. Slowly wrapping one arm over Aymeric’s, he sucked in a slow pained breath as his shoulders relaxed in something that was not quite defeat. “Aymeric…..must you make this also to be so difficult…?”

It was so rare that Estinian called him by his name. Well, not counting the number of times those lips had uttered it last night, but he was not considering that. At the gentle touch of those fingers against his skin, he buried his face between shoulder blades with an even tighter grip. “Aye. If I cannot dissuade you from leaving… then I would fain to make it as difficult for you to leave as it is for me to see you go.” Those words drew a soft growl that may have been annoyance or acceptance from Estinian and he cut his lover off with a shake of his head. “I am not asking you to stay. I only dare to hope…. That once you have found that which you mean to search for, your travels would bring you back home again. Back home…. To me. That selfish though my wish is…. I have not waited so long….only to lose you again.”

The next breath he drew in was a shuddering sigh as Estinian allowed himself to relax into the comfort of Aymeric’s touch and acceptance. Perhaps he had been rash in thinking his lord unable to understand his need to purge his sins. To seek out a purpose and beyond that, an understanding. Of the taint that still rested in his soul. Of the changes it had wrought and how they would shadow his steps. After all, had it not been Aymeric who had looked upon him last night and still welcomed him without reservation? With an understanding that Estinian had not expected and still doubted that he would deserve regardless of the time that would pass. But perchance with time, there would one day come acceptance and he could learn to look upon his altered state with something of the same regard that showed in Aymeric’s eyes. Shifting just enough to turn and face Aymeric, he gave a wry chuckle. “It is outside of your character to seem so unsure of anything, my lord. Are you ill? Perhaps all of those late nights signing papers have given you a chill?” The mocking tone was tempered with a gentle softness as he combed fingers through Aymeric’s hair and tilted his head to press their foreheads together with another soft sigh.

“There are many words that may be fittingly applied to you, my own…. Yet ‘selfish’ has never been one of them, and I fail to believe it should ever be so. If any man can be called such, it should be myself. For though all of Ishgard would lay claim to you, you are _mine_. And I hold no such lofty ideals to think that I could release you for the betterment of us both. Frankly, you are stuck with me, my lord. And as that is regretfully your situation at present, you will not lose me ere I leave.” His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper as he swallowed hard. “I swear by the Fury that I will _always_ return to you, Aymeric….”

For all that it was Aymeric whose silver tongue was well known throughout the realm, he couldn’t help but smile at the almost uncharacteristic eloquence in Estinian’s words. Or at least, what passed for eloquence compared to his usual gruff and abrupt manner of speaking. “I hardly find such a situation to be ‘regretful’. In truth the only regret that I have at present is how near the time of your parting is at hand. I had hoped that you might join me for breakfast ere you slip away into the aether.And on that note, in fact..” He raised an eyebrow with a half smirk that Estinian knew all too well. “It just so happens that I have found myself in possession of a batch of raspberry tarts. Too many for only myself to consume in good conscience. I’m sure you recall, the very sort that we used to purchase from the street vendors when we were lads..”

Damn that man, and thrice damn him for knowing so many ways to bend Estinian to his will. Namely, in this case, his preference for the sweets that they had so rarely been able to find in the markets. Narrowing his eyes at Aymeric in a glance that plainly communicated that he knew perfectly well that the silver-tongued wretch wasn’t fooling anyone and knew exactly what he was doing, the dragoon nonetheless heaved a martyred sigh as he tossed a dressing gown at Aymeric. “Only because if I don’t, then you will consume _all_ of them and go to fat, my lord. It seems it is my duty to save you from embarrassment.” He didn’t even have to look to see the smugly triumphant smile on Aymeric’s face as he stalked out the door towards the dining room.


End file.
